Reactions to Sexual Assault

Lifetime experience with sexual assault and psychological reactions to assault were assessed in a random community sample. Of the 15 emotional and behavioral reactions to sexual assault that were measured, anger, sadness, and anxiety were the most commonly reported (59%, 43%, and 40%, respectively) and fear reactions were the most persistent. Men were significantly less likely than women to report 11 of the 15 reactions. Factor analyses showed that the items could be reliably described by three factors: sexual distress, fear/anxiety, and depression. Demographic characteristics of the respondent and circumstances of the assault were utilized in regression models as predictors of the assault reactions factors. Age, physical threat, and assault outcome (intercourse) were related to sexual distress; gender, assault outcome, physical threat, and talking to someone about the assault were related to fear/anxiety; and physical threat and assault outcome were predictive of depressive symptoms.